Overview
- Daniel Dubois halted Fabio Wardley in the 11th round on Saturday in Manchester to win the WBO heavyweight title after rising from two early knockdowns.
- Referee Howard Foster waved it off with Wardley bleeding heavily from the nose and struggling to see from a swollen right eye after repeated doctor inspections in rounds nine and ten.
- Promoter Frank Warren confirmed a contract clause for an immediate rematch, with Wardley cleared to continue multiple times before the stoppage in what many called a fight-of-the-year contender.
- Rising prospect Moses Itauma is in line as the WBO mandatory challenger, a requirement that could influence whether Dubois next faces a rematch or a compulsory defense.
- Dubois is now a two-time world champion at 23-3 with 22 knockouts, while Wardley drops to 20-1-1 in his first loss after being elevated to WBO champion when Oleksandr Usyk vacated.